1 Introduction

Somalis account for 97% of the national population. Somali is the official language, and Arabic is the second language. English, Somali, and Arabic are the three most widely used languages in Somalia. This article aims to explore the formation and development of the trilingual symbiotic relationship in Somalia, analyze the political, economic, and religious factors behind language policy changes, and reflect the development of the country and society.

Overview of Somali Languages

Somali is the national language of the Somali people, mainly spoken in history, and later became a written language and the official language of the country after the reign of Siad Barre. The Somali language ecosystem consists of Somali, English, and Arabic. English, as a northern colonial language, was once an administrative language and gradually withdrew from political and social life, but it redeveloped after the independence of Somaliland. Italian, as a southern colonial language, was once an official language but gradually faded out of society due to the promotion of ethnic languages. Arabic became popular with the spread of Islam and became the lingua franca of the Sheikh community. During the civil war, it rapidly developed due to Quranic school education and is now the second language of the federal constitution. Somali language belongs to the East Kushitic language branch, which was orally transmitted in history and later developed into a unified script. It is used by approximately 21.9 million people worldwide.

The evolution and characteristics of language policy in Somalia after independence

After Somalia's independence, language policy underwent significant evolution. From 1960 to 1969, in the early days of the establishment of the Somali Republic, following the language planning of the colonial period, there was a lack of clear language policies, resulting in slow development of the Somali language. After Siad Barre came to power in 1969, he made the development of Somali language a national language priority. Through a unified writing system, educational reforms, and literacy campaigns, he promoted the development of Somali language, and colonial languages gradually withdrew from society. After the 1991 civil war, there were differences in language policies across Somalia, but overall there were parallel features of Somali, English, and Arabic languages. The Somaliland region implements a policy of "trilingualism and emphasis on English", and the importance of English education increases with grade level. Similar policies are also implemented in the region of Bontland, emphasizing English education. In central and southern Somalia, a policy of "trilingualism and emphasis on Somali language" is implemented, with the federal government focusing on promoting the development and use of Somali language to enhance national sentiment and identity.

The political, economic, and cultural demands behind the trilingual relations in Somalia

Deeply explored the political, economic, and cultural demands behind the language policy changes in Somalia after independence. At the political level, the development and establishment of Somali as the national language, as the core of the country's language policy, is an important means of shaping the country's political identity. On an economic level, the return of English as a dominant language reflects the economic effects of language, especially in the regions of Somaliland and Bontland, where the development of English contributes to individual career development and attracts foreign investment. On a cultural level, Arabic holds an irreplaceable position in the religious and cultural life of Somalia, and its development is the result of the interaction between national policies and society. Despite the government's reserved attitude towards the development of Arabic language policy, the widespread use of Arabic among the people is still due to the importance of Islam and Arabic language in Somalia's religious and cultural identity.

5 Conclusion

The language policy in Somalia has gone through three stages: language arrangement during the colonial period, nationalization of Somali language, and trilingualism. These changes reflect the evolution of social, political, economic, and cultural demands. Understanding the language ecology and policies of Somalia is of great significance for the construction of the Maritime Silk Road.